Make The Ocean Your Living Room With The Electric Sofa Boat

March 3, 2010

Your living room's a bit too cramped? Entertain guests in the biggest living room ever - the ocean - with the Sofa Boat, an electric-powered, floating watercraft with a couch on top.

Recently shown off at the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show, the unusual vessel is intended for ferrying people over short distances. So why is it in the yacht show? Because you can use it to carry guests from your luxury yacht to a party at George Clooney's luxury yacht. Not that you know George Clooney or anything, but in case you did, you might as well drop by riding a floating, upholstered lounge.

The Sofa Boat is a floating 3.5m platform with a comfy-looking couch on top. Since it's intended for the wealthy, it can't be as bare as the one on the photo, of course. The commercial version will include a folding sun canopy covering the entire seating area, laptop docking points (for those that can't stand not checking their Farmville crops) and a fridge. Steering is managed via joystick, while a soft-foam bumper allows for easy maneuverability.

Powered by electricity, the boat can run up to 12 hours with a full charge on the onboard battery. It can plug in directly to the mains. A solar-powered version (with seven square meters of panels) is also in the works.

How much for this floating motorized balsa with a couch? According to creators Belevari Marine, pricing for the Sofa Boat will start at AED59,000 (around $16,000), with a number of extra options that include luxury leather seats, tables, a sound system and a second sofa.